I can't cry
by Mina - the Shadow Nomad
Summary: Naruto and Hinata are going to be married, when Hinata discovers he is cheating on her. Her reaction isn't what you'd expect. And what's with those marks on her arms?
1. Rewriting this story

I don't have much time, but I have decided to rewrite this story. It is stupid and childish, Sakura is too evil, Sasuke is too shy, and Hinata is too perfect. It will be rewritten better than before!


	2. Hinata discovers

I fiddled with my engagement ring. I was listening to my father drone on about how Naruto was not suitable to marry, and how he knew my wedding was in a few days, but I could still dump him, blah, blah, blah. I didn't want to hear it again. I was still amazed that it had happened. It was only last month, and things were moving so quickly.

But my ring was a little odd. It was too big, and kept falling off. It was too big, like it had been bought for someone else…

No! Naruto bought it for me, and only me. I think. I hope. But…

"Hinata!" my father was yelling. I looked at his face. It was caught between a 'I'm going to give you a lecture about your weakness and stupidity' face and his 'You are a stupid idiot, so I must tell you how to live your life and control you absolutely' face. I reviewed what had happened while I had spaced out. He had blathered on and on, and he had asked me rhetorical questions, and then he said…oh no.

He wasn't going to walk me down the aisle.

"But, Father! I can't help who I fall in love with! And … n-never mind. I guess…that you just won't come." I started out indignant, and ended up feeling like I was a little tiny dust mite, hated by all.

"Fine. After all, why would I come to a failure's wedding?" He immediately dismissed me. I didn't want to go. I wanted to stand up and tell him that he better shut up, that I was far better than he would ever know, but I just shut up. I needed to feel like I was wanted. Like I was needed.

I was standing outside Naruto's apartment building. I carried a basket full of ingredients for ramen. All Naruto ever had was spoilt milk and instant ramen. And sometimes he didn't even have the latter.

I walked up the stairs to his apartment. I was about to knock, when I noticed it was open. I walked in, and immediately knew something was wrong. The bedroom door was open, and clothes were strewn everywhere. I blushed as I noticed a. Then I realized what had happened here. 'I should leave' I thought.

But…

I needed to know who had taken him away. I walked toward the bedroom, and peaked in. I didn't want to look, but I had to. I saw Naruto hugging someone, kissing her, caressing her… Sakura. His crush.

'Of course, Hinata. What did you think? It's not like he could actually like you. Look at yourself! You're pathetic! Why would anyone want you?'

I ran. Ran away, wanting to forget. To forget everything that I had seen, to get it out of my mind. I couldn't think. I collapsed by a pond, and almost cried, but I stopped myself.

'Silly child, what right do you have to cry? Look at all you have. Food, drink, family, shelter, clothes, you have all you need. What right to do you have to want more? You have it all! Your life is fine, great. What right do you have to cry?'

I bit my tears down, trying to appear all right. What should I do? I couldn't stay with Naruto. Not if he liked another. I couldn't hurt him like that. He obviously really wanted to be with her, if he was willing to hurt me like this. After all, wasn't it only this morning that I had said to my father "You can't help who you fall in love with."? I got up and started to walk home. I had been gone all day, and it was already dark. Maybe someone would be worried about me.

I got home to a dark house. Everyone was asleep, no one had worried.

'Well, what do you expect? You're the failure, the weakling. There's no reason to wait for you. You're useless.'

Once, just once I wished that I would let myself wallow in self pity, to cry, to feel bad. But I had to analyze the situation, to think rationally. And every fact pointed out that I was fine. Nothing was wrong with me, so no self pity was to be allowed. Oh well.

I started to walk up to bed, when I was grabbed and forcefully turned around to face the other way. I didn't fight it. Probably just father to remind me that I had missed my daily sparring match, more like beating, with Neji.

"Hinata. Where were you today?" It was Neji. He looked annoyed.

'And why shouldn't he? If you disappear and he, your protector, doesn't know where you are, doesn't that make it look like he isn't doing a good job?'

"I was … at Naruto's." I whispered, not even looking at him. I didn't want to bother him. But tears were welling up in my eyes. I couldn't let them fall, not now. Not after everything I had convinced myself of.

"What happened?" I was a really bad actress. He could obviously tell that I was lying. He was, after all, the Hyuuga genius.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." I said quietly. I bowed and started to walk away, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me back around. "What is it, Neji?"

"What happened?" He tilted my chin up to look at him. "What did he do that made you cry?"

"Nothing. I haven't shed a tear all day." I stated truthfully. In fact, I had stopped myself from shedding tears for what seemed like my entire life.

"You're lying. I can tell." He was glaring at me now. I hadn't wanted to make him angry. I just wanted to go to bed and fall into a dreamless sleep.

"No, Neji, I'm not. May I please go to bed now? I'm sorry for upsetting you." I whispered. His grip on my wrist loosened, and I walked away. I could tell that he stood there for a while longer, boring holes into my back with his eyes. As if that would help him understand what had happened to me today.

'How would you know? You've never properly used the Byakugan. For all you know, he could tell what you're thinking right now.'  
I walked up to bed like a lifeless doll. As I collapsed on my bed, I caught a glimpse of something in the mirror. My last thought before I fell into a tormented fitful sleep, was that I was becoming less human each day. And more … _**other.**_


End file.
